Collapsible garment dryer

ABSTRACT

A collapsible garment dryer comprising a case-like hinged container having an upper section and a lower section hingedly secured to said upper section. A flexible dryer bag depends from the upper section and is received between said upper and lower section when said garment dryer is in a collapsed condition. The lower section when in a position at right angles to the upper section maintains the opened condition of the bag. A hot air generator having a housing is mounted on the upper section for directing hot air into said bag. The bag has a slide fastener for inserting garments into the bag and removing garments therefrom. The garment to be dried can be hung in said bag.

[451 Sept. 16, 1975 3,302,305 2/1967 Little 34/163 3,739,492 6/1973 34/151 Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner.lames C. Yeung Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenneth S. Goldfarb [57] ABSTRACT A collapsible garment dryer comprising a case-like hinged container having an upper section and a lower section hingedly secured to said upper section. A flexible dryer bag depends from the upper section and is received between saidupper and lower section when said garment dryer is in a collapsed condition. The lower section when in a position at right angles to the upper section maintains the opened condition of the bag. A hot air generator having a housing is mounted on the upper section for directing hot air into said bag.

COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT DRYER Inventor: Otto Hubner, Mauerkircherstr. 199,

8 Munich, Germany Filed: Oct. 30, 1973 Appl. No.: 411,096

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 29, 1973 Germany............................ 2310993 US. Cl. 34/151; 34/163; 34/239 Int. F26b 13/00 Field of Search....... 34/151, 75, 163, 233, 219, 34/239; 223/88, 89, 94; 206/7 K, 7 H

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS United States Patent Hubner mn. .mws me an m. am was. nm m mem h is F .m m n m PR mu r. U mw h m e e 2 web a 1. an S in m a 60C .l I dm h I I I t 1 I 1 l i l m m .m C r 4 ad fine h a b w w m t/ b 8 m A) 7 ume Ttm m w H 3338 \\1 666m 1. 1r l1l l MMMZM 7 33323 Mayerman............................

COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT DRYER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a Collapsible garment dryer consisting of a hot-air generator, a flexible dryer bag which has a hot-air intake opening and several exhaust openings for the moisture-saturated drying air, whose interior is accessible through a slide fastener in a side wall, and adevice for hanging ,up the dryer bag and devices within the bag for hanging up the garments to be dried. The main features of such garment dryers should be that they be light, save storage space when notin use, and be easily setup for use and taken down again,

respectively. v

2. Description of the Prior Art In an already familiar collapsible garment dryer, a flexible non-braced dryer bag is attached to the housing of a hot-air generator, and several devices for hanging up the garments are provided within the dryer bag, and the air exhaust opening of a section of the housing which protrudes into the dryer bag is designed in such a manner that the hot air is,.blown sideways in all-directions towards the wall of the dryer bag. The bag which is open at the bottom ,is made of thin plasticfoil and is expanded laterally umbrella-like through the hot air pressure. The bag may also be kept more or less closed by providing lateral air exhaust openings at the lower bag rim. A.hair-dryer, which is supported on a stand serves as hot-air generator. It is inconvenient to put this garment dryer together or take itapart; stand and hair dryer-require a relative large amount of space so that the space-saving,collapsibility of the dryer bag is virtually of no consequence. Considerable losses in efficiency develop because of several reversals in the direction of the air flow; they must be compensated for by a higher-powered motor which means increased current consumption and greater motor weight if the high air pressure needed to fill the dryer bag and the air throughput requir ed to dry the garments within a reasonable time are to achieved. I

' Familiarcollapsible garment dryers are also designed I in such away that the flexible dryer bag is completely closed and the drying space is made accessible through a slide-fastener in its side wall, and the bag is braced by means of wire frames when in use; here, too, the air exhaust openings are located in the side wall of the bag. Hot air is generated by a separate blower, supplied via a flexible hose, and blown axially upwardsthrough an opening in the bottom of the dryer bag. With this axial inflow, air, distribution and drying are, non-uniform, handling is just as inconvenient, and weight and space needs of the garment dryer. when not in use, are excessive, due to thesupply hose. In addition, it is easy to put kinks in the hose and damage it.

It is the object of the invention to produce a garment dryer of the type described above, in such a manner that, if necessary, not only just a few garments, especially undergarments, blouses, shirts etc. can be dried quickly and without much fuss, but also that it may, when not in use, be reduced to a handy package which demands little space and may be carried along on a trip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This objective is solved according to the invention through a caselike hinged container for the folded dryer bag, in whose upper section is centrally located the housing of the hot-air generator which is attached through a cylindrical ring-shaped hot-air outlet slot to theunderside of the upper section, to which the devices for hangingup the garments to be dried and the upper rim of the dryer bag are fastened.

This fiat container permits to accomodate the folded dryer bag conveniently in the smallest space and to carry it. In order to facilitate and simplify handling, the dimensions of the major surfaces of the container should correspond to the cross-sectional dimensions of the dryer bag, and the folding lines along which the bag may be folded optimally should be pre-embossed, for

. example by means of welding seams.

A device for hanging up the container on a perpendicular surface, which is attached to the underside of the container i.e., lower section 3 and can be swung or pushed out, may serve as a carrying handle.

In order to put the garment dryer to use, the two container sections are opened and locked in this position through a catch and the easiest way snapopen supports which transfer the weight of the upper section with the hot-air generator and the pull of the bag and of the garments that hang from the upper section, to the lower section of the container which is braced against a perpendicular surface. I

In order to keep the weight of the garment dryer as low as possible, it is convenient to equip the hot-air generator, according to a familiar method, with powerweight radialblower which is driven at high revolutions by alow-voltage d.c. motor with permanent magnet, and on whose thrust face at least one ring-shaped heating resistor is mounted in the plane of the impeller and the ring-shaped hot air outlet slot and concentrically with respect to them. This concentric arrangement of radial blower and heating resistor makes it possible to use a flat, two-part housing which can be mounted stationary or even detachable .in a cut-out of the upper section of the container and produces only a slight bulge. Particularly advantageous is a housing which consists of a cap under which the motor. is mounted, and-a flat bottom on top of which the impeller and the heating resistor are mounted, whereby the rim of the cap-together with the upper side of the upper section of the container forms a ring-shaped air suction slot, and the rim of the bottom together with the underside of the upper section forms the ring-shaped hot-air outlet slot. The individual housing and container parts are made of plastic; the container parts may also be made of light sheet metal. In this type of design, the garment dryer has a very favorable powerweight ratio: In a tested embodiment, the radial blower delivers at least 40 cubic meters per hour (55 to 80 cubic meters constitute a particularly favorable air pressure), and the total weight, depending on wall thickness of the parts, is about 500 to 700 grams when the dryer bag measures about 35 X 50 cm.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be described in more detail in the following, with reference to an example of embodiment shown in schematic illustration in the drawing, wherein BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the folded garment dryer, and

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the hanging garment dryer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a flat, case-like container 1, consisting of a shell-shaped upper section 2 and an identical lower section 3 which are connected with one another stationary on one edge through hinges 4 and detachable on the opposite edge through a catch 5. This container accomodates a folded bag 6 made of thin plastic foil (FIG. 2). The upper section carries the housing of the hot-air generator 7 which can be connected to a wall outlet through a line cord 8.

FIG. 2 shows the garment dryer ready for use. Upper section 2 is open and is kept, through a two-part, snapopen support 12, in a 90 position with respect to lower section 3 which is hung up on a wall like a picture by means ofa hanger 11. Upper section 2 is kept in a horizontal position as long as lower section 3 is braced against a perpendicular surface. Bag 6 which encloses the space employed for drying hangs down loosely. It is closed on the side by means of a slide fastener 6.1, and its bottom 6.2 is equipped with a number of air exhaust openings 6.3.

With this arrangement, water which may drip down cannot collect in the bag. In the longitudinal edges of the shell-shaped upper section 2, a pivotable hanger 2.1 is mounted which hangs down in use and takes up the garments to be dried; as an illustration, a shirt 14 is shown in broken lines.

The housing of the hot-air generator is made from two parts and consists of a mushroom-shaped cap for accomodation ofa low-voltage d.c. motor, a lower section having a flat bottom, and a flange-like ring for an impeller and a helical heating resistor.

Internal pressure and air throughput may be adjusted through the blower power as well as through size and number of the air exhaust openings 6.3 provided in bag bottom 6.2. The air, saturated with moisture, escapes towards the outside through these openings. Blower power may be changed through regulation of the number of revolutions of the drive motor, and the total surface of the air exhaust openings may be increased through additional opening of the slide fastener 6.1. It is convenient to regulate the heating power of the heating resistor, too, in order be able to adapt the drying temperature to the particular specifications for the textiles in the bag. A timer may be provided in order to switch off the heater and/or the blower after a predetermined period of time.

The example of embodiment may be fashioned and modified in various ways.

Thus, upper section 2 of the container may also consist of a metal frame and a strong, drum-head-like foil which is stretched over it; the same is true for lower section 3. In this manner, a certain adaptability is achieved when the garment dryer is to be stuffed in a large-sizedpiece of luggage or in the trunk of a motor vehicle, together with other articles.

The upper rim of bag 6 which preferably should be transparent for observation of the garments, may be attached stationary on underside 2. It is preferable, however, to clip or button it on so that it can be wetcleaned or exchanged if damaged. Correspondingly, the housing of the hot-air generator 7 may be mounted stationary in the cut-out of upper section 2 or detachable in the same, for example by means of a bayonet lock.

The openings 6.3 may also be placed coronary on the lower side-section of the bag, while in bottom 6.2, at the lowest point which results during use from the way the bag is cut, i.e., preferably in the center, an opening remains which is equipped with a spout and may be closed with a stopper, on top of which water that may have dripped down, accumulates, which then may be drained by pulling the stopper. Hereby for practical purposes, that side wall which would face a wall when the bag is hung up, is not equipped with openings.

What I claim is:

l. A collapsible garment dryer comprising a case-like hinged container having an upper section and a lower section, hinge means securing said lower section to said upper section adjacent one end, a flexible dryer bag depending from said upper section and received between said upper and lower sections when said garment dryer is in a collapsed condition, a hot air generator in said upper section for directing hot air into said bag, said bag having a closure for inserting garments into said bag and removing garments therefrom, pivotable means secured to said upper section for hanging up garments to be dried in said bag, movable support means attached to said lower section of the container adjacent to said hinge means for hanging up the container, and snap open support means connecting said upper and lower sections for locking said sections when opened to a position relative to each other whereby said lower section provides .means for bracing the container against a perpendicular surface.

2. Garment dryer according to claim 1, wherein said hot-air generator is equipped with a radial blower which is driven by a low voltage d.c. motor with permanent magnet, and on whose thrust face at least one ringshaped heating resistor is mounted in the plane of the impeller and the cylindrical ring-shaped hot-air outlet slot and concentrically with it, said bag having exhaust opening in the lower portion thereof.

housing is disposed centrally of said upper section. 

1. A collapsible garment dryer comprising a case-likE hinged container having an upper section and a lower section, hinge means securing said lower section to said upper section adjacent one end, a flexible dryer bag depending from said upper section and received between said upper and lower sections when said garment dryer is in a collapsed condition, a hot air generator in said upper section for directing hot air into said bag, said bag having a closure for inserting garments into said bag and removing garments therefrom, pivotable means secured to said upper section for hanging up garments to be dried in said bag, movable support means attached to said lower section of the container adjacent to said hinge means for hanging up the container, and snap open support means connecting said upper and lower sections for locking said sections when opened to a position 90* relative to each other whereby said lower section provides means for bracing the container against a perpendicular surface.
 2. Garment dryer according to claim 1, wherein said hot-air generator is equipped with a radial blower which is driven by a low voltage d.c. motor with permanent magnet, and on whose thrust face at least one ring-shaped heating resistor is mounted in the plane of the impeller and the cylindrical ring-shaped hot-air outlet slot and concentrically with it, said bag having exhaust opening in the lower portion thereof.
 3. Garment dryer according to claim 2, wherein said bag is provided with pre-embossed folding lines.
 4. Garment dryer according to claim 3, wherein said housing is disposed centrally of said upper section. 